Last month we released our Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply survey results to respondents. This industry-wide researched, sponsored by William Blair, is conducted by Channel Marketing Group. Respondents are industrial supply distributors, manufacturers, and manufacturer representatives focused in the industrial supply channel. By soliciting input from each segment of the channel, … [Read more...] about 2026 Q1 Pulse of Industrial Supply – Up 8-9%
10 Steps to Replacing Hope with a Real Sales Plan
Last month Mark Roberts shared how hope is not a sales strategy. As we enter May, and you are 33% of the way through the year, where are you relative to goals? Are you "just managing"? Slightly ahead? What does your pipeline look like to ensure you are going to exceed your goals? And remember, there are sales goals, strategic goals (you know, the one to support someone's … [Read more...] about 10 Steps to Replacing Hope with a Real Sales Plan
4 Reasons Why Industrial Supply Manufacturers Need Amazon Business
Industrial buyers have been in the midst of change, much of it precipitated since Covid. Generational change in the workplace; utilizing digital tools to buy and manage projects; channel fragmentation. Manufacturers, seemingly always seeking to "meet the quarter" have adapted with website upgrades, product content attribution development, personnel changes, online training … [Read more...] about 4 Reasons Why Industrial Supply Manufacturers Need Amazon Business
Shedding Light on an Industrial Supply Distributor Problem (or Opportunity)
I come from Ireland, a country better known for its golf, Gaelic, and Guinness than for its distributors. So when Matt Rojas, my dormmate at Stanford, started telling me about his father’s work in distribution, I was fascinated. It was an industry I had never thought about, yet the more I learned, the more it became clear: the U.S. economy quietly depends on … [Read more...] about Shedding Light on an Industrial Supply Distributor Problem (or Opportunity)
Stop the SPA Leak: Don’t Let Margin Slips Away – Free Webinar
Scott Sinning from MarginMax Partners has been sharing ideas to help industrial supply distributors improve their profitability this year with his articles on plugging leaks, using SPAs, and more. Now he's offering a webinar on SPAs next week. The Cost of a Broken SPA If you are involved in sales management, purchasing, finance, SPA administration or have anything to … [Read more...] about Stop the SPA Leak: Don’t Let Margin Slips Away – Free Webinar
Hope Is Not a Sales Strategy (But Most Teams Are Running on It)
While we all know that hope is (or should not be) a sales strategy, most industrial supply sales teams, whether they are distributors, manufacturer reps, or manufacturer direct salespeople, are running on it. Yes, there are planning processes and yes everyone sets goals based upon bottom-up input (until the field's number doesn't match management's expectations (or their … [Read more...] about Hope Is Not a Sales Strategy (But Most Teams Are Running on It)
Full Warehouse, Empty Wallet – The Surplus Inventory Trap
What can an inventory holder do with excess inventory, why does it happen? In MRO & Industrial, inventory is a double-edged sword; it’s the lifeblood and the weight. With gross margins around 30%, it is pretty attractive, but all distributors have experienced a "just-in-case" order for a critical part turning into five years of dust-collecting deadstock. Looking into … [Read more...] about Full Warehouse, Empty Wallet – The Surplus Inventory Trap
Thriving Amid Consolidation: Talent Opportunities for Independent Distributors
Independent distributors know that business is won based upon their people. It's relationship and knowledge that makes the difference, In a word, it's "caring." Achieving that level of customer intimacy requires staff that genuinely care for customers, each other, and their company. This is why employee retention is higher at independently owned industrial supply … [Read more...] about Thriving Amid Consolidation: Talent Opportunities for Independent Distributors
The Manufacturer / Rep Alignment Ecosystem
A little background ... Channel Marketing Group manages Industrial Supply Trends as a service to the industry. Our core business is consulting with distributors, manufacturer reps, and manufacturers in the electrical, HVAC, and industrial supply business. One of our clients is NEMRA, which is the association for electrical reps. A couple of engagements have included developing … [Read more...] about The Manufacturer / Rep Alignment Ecosystem
NetPlus Members Forecast a Successful 2026
NetPlus Alliance, the industrial and contractor supply distributor marketing group that represents over 400 distributors who purchased over $600M through the group, recently shared their members’ 2026 outlook, in conjunction with a recap of their Q4. And the membership, by and large, is looking for growth to continue in 2026. NetPlus Delivers Growth in 2025, Forecasts … [Read more...] about NetPlus Members Forecast a Successful 2026
